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Data breaches exposed 29 million US health records in 4 years

If there are any doubts left that health care data breaches are a major problem , the medical industry just put them to rest. Researchers have published a study showing that a whopping 29.1 million American health records were compromised between 2010 and 2013. Most of them (58 percent) were exposed through theft, but the rest were revealed through a mix of hacks and carelessness, including workers who gave unauthorized access or didn’t properly get rid of info they no longer needed. As you might imagine, providers aren’t happy. An opinion piece accompanying the study argues that your personal health data is “not safe” despite the existence of rules meant to protect it, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. If both the government and companies don’t put “much more focused attention” on keeping data secure, they argue, these incidents are only going to continue. [Image credit: AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez] Filed under: Internet Comments Via: The Verge Source: JAMA (1) , (2)

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Data breaches exposed 29 million US health records in 4 years

Chess champ’s high-tech cheating scheme involved an iPod touch

Georgian chess champion Gaioz Nigalidze has been kicked out and banned from the Dubai Open Chess Tournament after he was caught cheating. What exactly did he do, you ask? Well, he got help from a chess app running on an iPod touch. His opponent, Armenian grandmaster Tigran Petrosian, grew suspicious as Nigalidze literally ran to the toilet a few times (remember, a match can go on for hours) and visited the same cubicle. Game officials eventually inspected the cubicle and found the device hidden behind the bowl and wrapped in toilet paper, along with a pair of headphones. Nigalidze denied it was his, but upon further inspection, authorities found that its social media apps were logged into the Georgian champ’s accounts. They also found his board mirrored on an open chess app. It’s been 18 years since IBM’s Deep Blue computer managed to beat chess world champion Garry Kasparov. Now, even small smart devices are powerful enough to quickly analyze chess moves. English grandmaster Nigel Short says it’s too easy to cheat with a phone (or in this case, a media player) these days. “My dog could win a major tournament using one of these devices, ” he told The Washington Post . “Or my grandmother. Anybody could do this.” Seeing as Dubai Open is awarding the grand winner $12, 000 in cash, a lot of unscrupulous or desperate people would cheat, if given the chance. It’s unclear if Nigalidze has done this before, and if he did, to what extent. Nevertheless, his whole career is now under scrutiny, and fellow grandmasters want him to be penalized heavily to deter more people from cheating. He isn’t the first and the only person to cheat on a chess tournament with the aid of a high-tech device, you see. In 2002, an American player tried to pull off something similar, checking out simulations in the bathroom in the middle of a match. Indian player Umakant Sharma was caught cheating in 2006 by communicating with accomplices through a tiny Bluetooth headpiece hidden inside a cloth cap. And then in 2008, the Dubai Chess Club banned an Iranian player after it was discovered that a partner was sending him moves through text messages while watching a live stream of the game. [Image credit: Dubai Chess & Culture Club (1) , (2) ] Filed under: Cellphones , Mobile , Apple Comments Source: The Wall Street Journal , The Telegraph , Dubai Chess & Culture Club

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Chess champ’s high-tech cheating scheme involved an iPod touch

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge is ridiculously expensive to make

It’s no secret that Samsung’s curvy Galaxy S6 Edge costs a pretty penny, but there’s now a good explanation as to why. IHS estimates that the raw price of assembly for a 64GB Verizon model is $290. That’s more expensive to make than not just the Galaxy S5 ($256 when new), but also the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus ($263) — if true, Samsung is giving up a lot of profit to make this exotic hardware affordable. The bendy AMOLED screen is unsurprisingly the costliest element here with an estimated $85 price, although the Exynos 7 processor ($30), 3GB of DDR4 memory ($27) and flash storage ($25) certainly aren’t cheap. It’s hard to know just how accurate this manufacturing bill is. Samsung makes its own parts, after all, and it could have scored a deal to get components at a lower rate. And as always, the cost of assembly doesn’t tell you the full story. That $290 doesn’t include patent licensing, development or other expenses needed to put the S6 Edge in your pocket. Even so, it’s apparent that Samsung is still willing to sacrifice its bottom line to one-up the competition. Filed under: Cellphones , Mobile , Samsung Comments Source: Recode

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Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge is ridiculously expensive to make

DARPA creating software that won’t need upgrades for a century

Software upgrades and outdated applications that don’t work on new platforms are just a fact of life for people who use computers and other devices. DARPA, however, wants to change that by making software systems that can run for over a century without getting updates from their developers and despite upgrades in hardware. Pentagon’s mad science department has recently announced that it has begun a four-year research to figure out what algorithms are necessary to create software that “can dynamically adapt to changes.” The agency calls the project “Building Resource Adaptive Software Systems or BRASS, ” and it knows it won’t be easy. In fact, DARPA’s expecting to build everything from the ground up. In return, though, we could see a whole new list of programs with longer lifespans that are easier to maintain. “The goal of the Building Resource Adaptive Software Systems program (BRASS) is to realize foundational advances in the design and implementation of long-lived, survivable and complex software systems that are robust to changes in the physical and logical resources provided by their ecosystem, ” part of its official description says. The agency has started accepting research proposals for every aspect of the project, from which it’ll find the most promising to fund. DARPA is hoping that BRASS will ultimately lead to military computers and machines that don’t need to stop running for upgrades, as the process can be costly. Sounds a bit terrifying, considering the project aims to build software that can evolve on its own, much like those villainous programs in movies that gained sentience as time went on. Filed under: Science Comments Source: DARPA (1) , (2) , FedBizOpps

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DARPA creating software that won’t need upgrades for a century

‘The Simpsons’ seasons won’t be available on disc from now on

If you’ve been diligently building a collection of Simpsons episodes on disc, you’re in for a rude surprise. Show runner Al Jean has revealed that Fox is discontinuing disc releases of the long-running cartoon. As sources confirmed to us and The Hollywood Reporter, the studio doesn’t believe there’s a point to hard copies at this stage — now that you can watch The Simpsons online , it “made more sense” to focus on internet services. With the show constantly airing around the world and in heavy rotation on FXX, it’s a bit more accessible than other series even though DVD and Blu-ray are still big business. . @thesimpsons #EverySimpsonsEver I personally am v sorry to see DVDs discontinued We did them purely for the love of hearing ourselves talk – Al Jean (@AlJean) April 8, 2015 . @thesimpsons #EverySimpsonsEver To critics of DVD dedication; I hear you. Literally. (I read tweets aloud). Will pass along your feelings! – Al Jean (@AlJean) April 11, 2015 The Simpsons’ long run and availability makes it a unique case, but the rise of apps and streaming services bidding for rights means other season-by-season TV boxed sets could follow. All in all, it’s bad news for completionists that value having an offline copy and so far there’s no good replacement for that. Now that Fox is trying it out, our only question is which series will leave the shelf for the cloud next? Filed under: Home Entertainment , Internet , HD Comments Via: SlashGear Source: Al Jean (Twitter) , Hollywood Reporter

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‘The Simpsons’ seasons won’t be available on disc from now on

DirecTV’s app is ready to stream 90 channels anywhere you go

We haven’t seen many updates for DirecTV’s streaming services in a while, but this week it added a slew of new channels for customers to watch live even when they’re away from home. The 22 additions include MTV, TNT, Nickelodeon, BET, Cartoon Network and more ready for viewing on computers, tablets or phones. DirecTV also has the Genie DVRs that can shift recordings to your mobile device, but as the competition with internet TV services heats up the satellite company is finally ready to push a few more updates. All of those features work through the DirecTV apps, but it’s worth noting that recently DirecTV has cut deals so its subscribers can use their logins to stream channels (on their own apps) that its app doesn’t support yet, like Disney and ABC. Filed under: Home Entertainment , HD Comments Source: DirecTV , FAQ

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DirecTV’s app is ready to stream 90 channels anywhere you go

Sprint rolls out free (and slow) international data and messaging

We’re not entirely sure how it’s already April, but Sprint’s clearly eager to make a name for itself before everyone starts popping off on holidays. To wit: The carrier just rolled out a new international roaming plan that’ll net your Sprint phone free unlimited texting and 2G data abroad… as long as you’re traipsing through a handful of supported countries , anyway. The service’ll work just peachy if you’re traveling through Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Russia, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom, though you’ll still have to shell out $0.20 a minute if you want to call from any of those countries. That’s not a bad list considering you’re paying nada , but it’s hard not to look at this move as a shot across T-Mobile’s bow . After all, the magenta-hued carrier offers basically the exact same service for free in over 120 countries and it supports all of the devices T-Mobile’s got on its shelves — two facts that John Legere really enjoyed rubbing into Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure’s face on Twitter. And the final caveat? While T-Mobile caps its international 2G data speeds to a paltry 128kbps, a quick look at Sprint’s International Value Roaming FAQ reveals a maximum speed of 64kbps — you’re basically tooting around on a mid-90s desktop connection at that point. You know what they say about gift horses and all. [Image credit: AFP/Getty Images] Filed under: Mobile Comments Source: Sprint

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Sprint rolls out free (and slow) international data and messaging

Publishers are fighting to keep abandoned games dead

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit group that defends civil liberties in the digital world, is facing off against the Entertainment Software Association, the organization that represents most major video game publishers in the US. The EFF wants to allow players to put abandoned games back online and has asked the US Copyright Office for an exemption from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This would allow players to legally modify the code of online games that are no longer supported by publishers, in the hope of reconnecting these titles to new, third-party servers. This includes games like Battlefield 1942 , Star Wars: Battlefront , SOCOM 4 , Resistance: Fall of Man and Mario Kart Wii . Many modern games rely on servers to function; if Activision pulled the plug on Destiny , for example, even its single-player campaign would disappear, since the entire game needs an online connection. “This exemption would serve player communities that wish to continue using their purchased games, as well as archivists, historians, and other academic researchers who preserve and study videogames and are currently inhibited by legal uncertainty, ” the EFF writes . The ESA opposes the exemption, arguing that modifying game code is “hacking” and would encourage piracy. Plus, in order to make some of these games work on systems like the Xbox 360 or Wii, users would need to jailbreak these consoles. “Granting the proposed exemption would enable — and indeed encourage — the play of pirated games and the unlawful reproduction and distribution of infringing content, ” the ESA says . Note that it’s not up to the EFF or the ESA to decide this issue — that will be handled this year by the US Copyright Office, which examines exemption requests every three years. The EFF has since responded to the ESA’s arguments against its proposed exemption, noting that the gaming industry was built on “tinkering” and hobbyist-style hacking. As the EFF puts it: “Games abandoned by their producers are one area where Section 1201 is seriously interfering with important, lawful activities — like continuing to play the games you already own.” Filed under: Gaming , HD Comments Via: PC World Source: EFF , ESA

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Publishers are fighting to keep abandoned games dead

Dropbox and Microsoft just made it easier to edit files in the cloud

Look, it’s no secret that Microsoft and Dropbox have been getting cozy with each other . Why, just last November the two companies cooked up a way to launch the correct Office apps to edit documents lounging in your Dropbox locker. Now, thanks to a new update from that unlikely duo, you don’t even need to have Office installed to edit your Word, Powerpoint and Excel files — hitting that Open button while you’re previewing a document within a web browser gives you the ability to tweak everything from inside Microsoft’s Office Online. Naturally, the integration runs both ways too, so Office Online users can pull up files straight from their Dropbox accounts without so much as firing up a new tab. If you’ve been paying attention, today’s move won’t come as much of a surprise — the eventual intersection of Dropbox’s cloud storage and Microsoft’s strictly web-based Office suite was in the cards from the very beginning. With this update now in place, Dropbox has wrapped up all of the Microsoft-y initiatives it laid out last year (remember the Dropbox Windows Phone app?), and now we’re just left wondering if there’s any more mileage to squeeze out of a major partnership like this. Neither company has ever admitted how many people have taken advantage of these deep Office hooks, and it doesn’t seem likely that Microsoft will extend too many more niceties to users of a rival storage service, but hey — maybe the taste of a more unified experience tempted a few Dropbox customers to jump ship. Comments Source: Microsoft Office blog

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Dropbox and Microsoft just made it easier to edit files in the cloud

Mophie’s ‘Space’ battery cases bring more storage to iPhone 6, iPad Mini

Last year Mophie, a company best known for its mobile battery offerings, stepped into slightly new territory by releasing a battery-toting iPhone case with external storage dubbed the “Space Pack.” Now, as if on cue, Mophie is unveiling new entries in the Space Pack line for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad Mini. And, not to be forgotten, there’s also a new standalone battery pack called the “Spacestation.” They all look very similar to Mophie’s existing battery solutions, but they include anywhere from 32GB to 128 GB of flash storage, which could be useful for anyone stuck with a paltry 16GB iPhone or iPad Mini. But, as is typical for Mophie, that convenience won’t come cheap. The iPhone Space Packs and the Spacestation start at $150 for 32GB of storage, and jump up to $200 for 64GB and $300 for 128GB. The iPad Mini pack, meanwhile, runs from $200 to $400. Just like before, all of the storage-toting cases work together with Mophie’s Space app, which lets you manage and play media. iOS doesn’t recognize external storage like Android, so you won’t have access to the files on Mophie’s cases from any other apps. The company has also updated the Space app for managing files already on your iPhone — you won’t even need to own a Mophie case to use it. That allows you to create playlists that include media on both your iOS device and the Space case. As for additional battery life, Mophie’s bread and butter, the iPhone 6 case will double your battery life, while the iPhone 6 Plus case will give you another 50 percent of juice. That’s pretty much what you’ll get from one of the company’s new Juice Pack cases . If you don’t need a case, the Spacestation might be the best overall deal since it can fully recharge an iPad Mini and plug into a variety of devices. If you’ve handled a Mophie product before, you know what to expect from the Space lineup. In my brief hands-on time, the new cases and battery pack all felt like like premium products. The Spacestation’s metal case, in particular, feels great in your hand. The iPad Mini Space Case also marks the first time the company has created a battery case for a tablet. It adds a bit of thickness to the Mini, but it doesn’t harm its portability much. Yes, they’re expensive, but if you’re a media addict on iOS, you don’t have many other choices for additional storage without jumping to wireless hard drives or the cloud. You can preorder all of Mophie’s new Space products now, and they’re expected to ship in May. Filed under: Mobile Comments

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Mophie’s ‘Space’ battery cases bring more storage to iPhone 6, iPad Mini